The present invention relates to flexible bags of the type commonly utilized for the containment and/or disposal of various items and/or materials.
Flexible bags, particularly those made of comparatively inexpensive polymeric materials, have been widely employed for the containment and/or disposal of various items and/or materials.
As utilized herein, the term xe2x80x9cflexiblexe2x80x9d is utilized to refer to materials which are capable of being flexed or bent, especially repeatedly, such that they are pliant and yieldable in response to externally applied forces. Accordingly, xe2x80x9cflexiblexe2x80x9d is substantially opposite in meaning to the terms inflexible, rigid, or unyielding. Materials and structures which are flexible, therefore, may be altered in shape and structure to accommodate external forces and to conform to the shape of objects brought into contact with them without losing their integrity. Flexible bags of the type commonly available are typically formed from materials having consistent physical properties throughout the bag structure, such as stretch, tensile, and/or elongation properties.
With such flexible bags, it is frequently difficult to provide bags which precisely accommodate the dimensions and volume of the contents to be placed therein. Excess interior space may lead to degradation of the contents due to trapped air space, not to mention wasted bag material due to unused volume. In addition, for such uses as colostomy bags, it is desirable to maximize discretion by minimizing the size of the bag to the volume and dimensions necessary to accommodate the contents. The packaging of bags prior to use is also constrained by the dimensions of the bag as-provided.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a flexible bag which is capable of closely conforming to the volume and/or dimensions of the bag contents in use.
The present invention provides a flexible bag comprising at least one sheet of flexible sheet material assembled to form a semi-enclosed container having an opening defined by a periphery. The opening defines an opening plane, and bag is expandable in response to forces exerted by contents within the bag to provide an increase in volume of the bag such that said the accommodates the contents placed therein.